The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-11


determined. The superimposed drift material
is SO thick to render study very difficult. The
borings. however, indicate gentle waves in the
rock as far south as indianapolis, and they may
90 further. Professor Zorbey noted many places
along the line of axis where, instead of up
heaval. the strata appeared to be shattered into
fragments by vertical crevices, as If subsidence
had followed upheaval.
Much has been said about certain indefinite
thing called the oil and gas belt in Indiana
There is such thing. Gas and oil spots
would be better phrase Gas and oil may be
in spots all over northern Indiana. and these
spots may be- connected by underground chan
nels SO as to be, practically parts of one great
field: but well to be successful must be bored
in one OF these spots, or it must intersect one
of these channels of connection between the
spots, if this theory is true The wells sunk in
Indiana support this view, for dry wells stand
close beside productive ones On the other
hand it may turn out that our gas is not contin-
uous in any direction, but is housed in local
true, then the supply will be exhausted
sooner or later. AS far as study has
progressed it would appear that gas and oil
likely to be found here and there all over the
northern half of Indiana. AS to the southern
half of the State there is much doubt. and not
enough boring has been done to a sufficient
depth to be of much value in study. Beginning
at kentland. in Newton county, and running
straight line thence to Madison. in Jefferson
county. the states area will be divided into two
rough trangles. The eastern triangle will be
merely fringe of the subcarboniferous forma-
ton, and almost its entire area will be found
geologicaly low enough so that the Trerton rock
should be reached without a very expensive bor-
ing. The western tragic would present greater
difficulties, Especially in the southwestern
part) the carboniferous formations would be
very thick. In the eastern triangle it will not
be foolish. or without some hope Of success. to
bore wherever the devonian the upper
silurian formation is the surface rock
In the. western triangle gas may
yet be found in the carboniferous rocks.
1t would be without any scientific basis for any
town or city in northern Indiana to conclude
without boring that gas or oil is not beneath it.
There is no general reason why gas should be
under Anderson and not under Union City, Lo-
gansport or Monticello; but there may be par
ticuar reason discoverable by boring number
of wells or the reason may be too profound to
be discovered at all. if the facts exist that the
latter places are over dry areas. The reported
finding of oil at Francsville is the first notable
and significant fact in confederation of what
had taken true. to wit, that Kentand is
nearly on the axis of the disturbance l have
mentioned.
II am of the opinion that the local upheaval
near Keptland several ages ago served as a vent
for the pent-up gas of the 10 wer silurian rock.
There are facts strongly supporting this view
In the first place the fiber of the stone there
shows that while the deposit was yet in some
what plastic state it was subject to a tremen-
dous pressure acting from below. What is
called cone-ln-cone structure Is disclosed In
marked and unmistakabe degree showing
where the upward-bearing force 'telescoped'
the substance of the rock, to say.
Nor is this all. The almost vertical clay part
ings of the strata full of fossils from the
lower silurian, whilst the rocks themselves
are mostly, If not ALL upper slurian. These
fossils, mostly of very small species, have been
forced up between the strata from below, along
with the mortar-like clay in which they are found
imbedded When Professor Zorbey and l first
examined this out.crop we were struck with the
peculiar features have described, and as natur-
al gas was not then known to be in the lower
surian rock of Indiana, agreed
attributiEg the position of the fossils to
the action of up-gushng water at the time of
the disturbance. l am now convinced that it
was gas instead of water. At first this might
seem fancful, but pause moment and consider
that the present pressure of natural gas is some
times found to be as much as 600 pounds to the
square inch. which would lift stratum of rock
600 feet thick weighing pound for every twelve
cubic inches! Perhaps. long ago, when the gas
was at its highest pressure, it may have had
a force many times what it now has, in
which case its action would probably break the.
everything rock at some weak point and thus find
partial vent, especially if at the same time the
crust of the earth were shrinking and causing
fold of the strata above the gas. Subsequent
subsistence of the crust might close the rent and
again Theoretically seal up the gas within the
rock. Upheavel, followed bv'subsidence is the
record shown by the facts as far studied. In
this connection it is we'll to note that IT. upon
! fracture of the crust there was great escape
of gas that the pressure largely abated, there
| would be an increase of pressure again when the
! crust subsidized and confined the gas in a more
| limited space, thus acting bellows to force
| it into any stratum that should prove porous
enough to receive it.
mo limestone is of even and continuous text
ure 1t may be close grained in one place.
cherry and refractory in another and porous in
| another. and all these places but a few feet
| apart The drill may enter the Trenton lime
| stone at place where it is close grained and
impervious to gas or oil. The explosion of a
| heavy charge of dynamite at the bottom of the
bore may fracture the rock either downward or
laterally to point when the gas Or oil will be
reached This should never be neglected. Nor
| should the fact that dry we'll is
made in porous Trenton rock be taken
as conclusive proof that gas cannot
be found in the neighborhood, for the we'll may
have ended in mere porous pocket of the rock,
| surrounded by imprevious stone. which, if shat
tered. might release the gas beyond, thus insur-
ing victory. light tap the edge OF a
broad pane of glass will send lines of fracture
clear across it, SO the shock of heavy dynamite
| explosion may crack and SILVER stratum of
limestone for a long way under ground
Mr. Thompson will pursue his Investigations
further, and will soon prepare paper showing
what the principal borings in the State tend tc
| prove Meanwhile, he suggests that it will be
| of great benefit to the people of tho State II
| we'll borers and natural gas companies would
carefully preserve records of their work and
send them 70 the State Biologists Office.